Page 897 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 April 2014
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and standard of debate and forward thinking about ICT that we are seeing from this minister and from the Greens, God help us.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Sport and Recreation, Minister for Tourism and Events and Minister for Community Services) (5.52): I thank Ms Berry for bringing forward this motion this afternoon and for outlining the different ways in which the government is developing our city’s digital economy.
These initiatives are indeed many and they are varied. One of the fundamental elements of the government’s work is the broad spread of applications and the broad spread of beneficiaries within our community. This work not only supports the future growth of our ICT sector but also it creates the conditions for a new level of digital engagement and innovation throughout Canberra’s economy. I refer in particular to new efficiencies in government, new channels for marketing Canberra abroad and further cuts to red tape for small businesses and the population at large.
The government’s digital strategy is a vital part of the broader diversification and growth agendas for our economy. As such, it is the key to our response to the change and uncertainty facing the territory economy. As the federal Commission of Audit release date and budget approach, we continue to wait for an indication of the full extent of the mugging of our economy by the Liberal Party—the full extent of those budget cuts and their impacts upon the territory.
I think it is fair to say that most Canberrans maintain a very cautious outlook regarding the devastation that is proposed to be wreaked on this city by the Liberal Party. But we have some things within our own control, within our own destiny. Wide-ranging strategies such as the business development strategy and the digital Canberra action plan position us far better than if we were standing still.
Despite the range of external pressures that we are facing, our private sector is growing, it is becoming more diverse and it is creating a wider range of knowledge-intensive jobs. The government is continuing to support this growth by providing the right environment in which businesses can invest, innovate and grow.
There is no doubt that the digital economy is one of our major strengths. Canberra leads Australia on a range of digital indicators, including use of digital media, telework and the use of smart devices by local businesses. Our highly educated and early adopting workforce also lends itself to pushing further ahead with innovation in the way people work and do business.
Flagship ICT research organisations are leading this evolution, including NICTA, the CSIRO, our universities, a range of defence and telecommunications companies and, importantly, an ever growing number of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises.
Canberra’s reputation for world-leading knowledge and business innovation is certainly gathering momentum. We are seeing a burgeoning of entrepreneurial activity within the territory, the establishment of more ICT start-ups and venture capitalists.
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